When it comes to basic accident claims you may be able to handle your own case, without a lawyer or an insurance company, if you have a little bit of process knowledge, organization, and some patience. In fact, if your losses were minor, and if you are armed with the proper information, you may end up with more compensation if you handle your claim yourself because you won’t have to pay lawyers’ fees.
Types of claims you can handle on your own include those involving:
- Automobile, cycle, or pedestrian accidents
- Slip or trip and fall accidents
- Home accidents
- Accidents with defective products
Of course, there are times when a lawyer’s services can be helpful or even necessary, especially in situations involving severe or permanently disabling injuries and certain types of complicated accidents, such as those involving medical malpractice or toxic exposure. But if you weren’t hurt that bad, and you didn’t lose much in the way of property damage, it may make sense to represent yourself, assuming you feel confident and comfortable doing so. Let’s look at a few reasons why handling your personal injury claim yourself may make sense.
The Claims Process Is Easier Than You Think
Despite what the insurance industry and some lawyers would like you to think, settling an injury claim with an insurance company can be quite simple. Most claims involve no more than a few short letters and phone calls with an insurance adjuster who has no legal training, so you don’t need to know the technical language or complex legal rules. In fact, your right to be compensated often depends on nothing more than commonsense observations about who was careful and who wasn’t, and how serious your injuries are.
The Compensation System Is Structured
The amount of fair compensation in any given case does not come out of a crystal ball that only lawyers and insurance companies know how to read. Rather, a number of simple factors go into figuring out how much any claim is worth. The amount an insurance company will be willing to pay usually falls into a fairly narrow range, whether or not a lawyer handles your claim for you.
You Know Your Claim Best
You know better than anyone else how your accident happened. You were there, they weren’t, and you know best what injuries you suffered and what your physical condition and other circumstances have been since. Usually, these are the most important things to understand when settling an injury claim.
Turn to GCW Lawyers for Serious Injury Claims
If your accident caused serious injury and you don’t feel you can represent yourself, contact the GCW Lawyers team to get you the justice you deserve.
